Saint Petersburg: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Monday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg as the Kremlin reiterated its support for bringing peace in the Middle East, local media reported.
“For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the peoples of the region, to ensure that this peace is achieved as quickly as possible. You know our position well,” Russia’s Tass news agency quoted Putin as saying during the meeting with the visiting Iranian minister.
Putin stated that people of Iran are fighting “courageously and heroically” for their sovereignty. He expressed hope that the people of Iran will overcome this “difficult period of trials and peace will come.” He also expressed Moscow’s readiness to bolster its ties with Tehran.
During the meeting, Araghchi conveyed wishes of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to Putin. He mentioned that people of Iran, through their courage, were able to resist “US aggression”. He expressed gratitude to Putin and Russia for their support to Iran and stated that the ties between Iran and Russia share a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will develop “regardless of everything that happens,” Tass reported.
Earlier in the day, Araghchi arrived in Russia’s St Petersburg to hold talks with President Putin. Upon arrival in St Petersburg, Araghchi was received by Russian officials and Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
Speaking to IRNA, Jalali said Araghchi’s visit is part of “close consultations” between Iran and Russia as the two nations have similar approaches to regional and international issues. He further said that the Presidents of Iran and Russia have held three phone calls since the conflict began on February 28.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after concluding his visit to Oman amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia.
Iran and the US reached a two-week ceasefire starting on April 8. Later, the two nations held the first round of talks on April 11-12 aimed at ending the conflict. However, the talks collapsed after 21 hours of negotiations.
(IANS)
